(19)
(11) EP 1 528 394 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
29.08.2007 Bulletin 2007/35

(43) Date of publication A2:
04.05.2005 Bulletin 2005/18

(21) Application number: 04256656.2

(22) Date of filing: 28.10.2004
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G01N 29/02(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL HR LT LV MK

(30) Priority: 31.10.2003 US 698834

(71) Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Houston, TX 77070 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Blakley, Daniel R.
    Philomath Oregon 97370 (US)

(74) Representative: Tollett, Ian et al
Williams Powell Morley House 26-30 Holborn Viaduct
London EC1A 2BP
London EC1A 2BP (GB)

   


(54) Transducer-based sensor system and method


(57) A system and method for performing rupture event scanning and other sensing operations on a sample. The method includes providing a transducer (42,44,46,48) with an immobilized binding partner material and a sample material disposed thereon. The sample material is applied to the immobilized binding partner material so that, if components in the sample material have sufficient affinity for the immobilized binding partner material, bonds will form between at least some of such components and the immobilized binding partner material. The method further includes accelerating the transducer (42,44,46,48) to induce bond breakage, where such accelerating is performed by applying a drive signal to the transducer (42,44,46,48). The drive signal includes a waveform having multiple frequency components that are pre-selected based on expected resonance behavior of the transducer (42,44,46,48). The method may also include analyzing an output response of the transducer (42,44,46,48) in response to application of the drive signal.







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